A Light for Rose
by Mango Dol-pen
Summary: After an eventful week and a slow morning, Pearl recalls a story about his mother Rose Quartz, and decides to tell him the story to pass the time. In the story, Pearl attempts to find Rose Quartz after an earthquake separates the pink gem from the team. As Pearl goes through strain, will Rose be able to survive the unknown? Or will Pearl succumb to a cracked gem?


Steven wasn't exactly up and at 'em that morning. Sighing and rolling to his side on his bed, the half-human half-gem suddenly found himself rolling _off_ the bed. Landing with a thump, Steven only let out an _omhf!_ and then a long, lengthy sigh. The boy stared out into space, looking around his constructed home in complete, utter boredom. _Something happen, life!_ Steven thought to himself, not bothering to get back into his bed.

Suddenly, the boy heard the magic _whrr_ in the distance, and could sense bright light in his peripherals. Lifting himself up with his arms, Steven turned his head to see a tall figure materialize in the light of a crystal pedestal. The figure was feminine, with a lanky but graceful body, and blue and yellow attire, along with short hair and a white stone atop her forehead. It seemed that she was holding a levitating bubble containing a black gemstone; though, it didn't matter to Steven. _Pearl is back!_

Pushing himself up completely, Steven got onto his feet and quickly climbed down the ladder that led to and from his bedroom, and ran towards his gemstone companion. "Pearl! Pearl! I'm _so glad_ you're here!" he cheered, practically jumping onto her. The magical guardian stepped back in surprise, rearing back the bubble. "How are you? What happened? Was there a giant foot?"

Overwhelmed by the questions, she pushed back the excited boy a little. "Woah, woah, Steven! What's with all the sudden questions?" Realizing his eagerness, Steven relaxed a little, though still retaining his pep.

"Well, Dad's busy with a job, my favorite show is taking a break, and the Big Donut is closed for repairs!" he piped up, motioning his hands somewhat as he explained. "Plus, I don't think Lars will appreciate me trying to help him with his broken feet anytime soon..." Steven added with a sudden mood shift, shrugging and rubbing his arm.

"Haha,_ right_..." Pearl said, blushing profusely; the last mission in Beach City didn't go quite as planned, and Steven and Lars weren't at the best of terms since then. She couldn't help but feel guilty, but they did hurt quite a bit of civillians (and property) many times in the past. Best not to dwell, anyways.

"But what I'm trying to say is- I'm _boooooooooored_!" Steven emphasized, falling to the ground with pure lack of enthusiasm. "There's nothing to do!"

Pearl looked at the black gem that she had bubbled, and a tempting thought found itself in her head. "Well, there could be _one thing_ to do," she doted, trying to think of a way to cheer up Steven, "and I think you might like it...!"

Steven jumped up in excitement. "Really? What is it? Fighting a giant foot?" Pearl groaned in annoyance; he couldn't have kept thinking about that! "There _is no foot_!" she hissed through her teeth. After that outburst, she took a deep breath.

"W-well, I have something in mind that has to do with Rose Quartz- _y-your mom_!" The pure joy flashing in Stevens eyes eased Pearls heart, after mentioning her mere name. Her heart still ached with mourning, but nonetheless still cared about the child she bared.

"_Really_?" Steven chirped, gaining great curiosity. "What is it? What did she do? Was there-"

"**_THERE IS NO FOOT!_** Stop asking!" the gem shouted in irritance. What was with Steven and that giant foot he was fantasizing about? However, knowing that the offspring of Rose was very happy at that moment, Pearl took another deep breath and looked to Steven with a smile, lowering the bubble that she posessed. "B-but, it's about one of her powers. We told you about her healing tears, correct?"

Steven nodded with a grin, the lights in his eyes just getting brighter. "Well, we didn't exactly know about them at first, when we were a lot newer to Earth. Not even _Rose_ knew, for that matter!" Pearl herself glowing with the joy of remembering her deceased teammate, she looked away, carried off by her description and the thought of her. "We knew most of the other powers she had, though. Not everyone was the closest, but everyone on the team couldn't agree more that Rose Quartz was a wonderful person. We knew so much about her- she was an open book, and loved _everything_! Oh Steven, I wish you could've met your mother, she was just-" Suddenly pausing, she forced herself back to reality. There was no way for Steven to meet his mother, and Pearl feared she just slipped up big time.

"I-I'm sorry, Steven," the gem quickly apologized in fear, tears welling up, "it's just been a really long time, a-a-_and_-" Steven put his hand on Pearls shoulder.

"It's okay, Pearl!" Steven said, unsure of what she was apologizing about. "I just want someone to listen to right now." Nodding, the white gem swallowed and dried her tears.

"W-well, continuing on," Pearl said, standing up and thinking more clearly, "none of us knew about her healing powers, and there was no known cure for cracked gems. We lost a lot of allies that way, and Rose felt a great grievance for those who couldn't be healed. But there was nothing we could do..." Feeling her emotions build up again at that notion, Pearl swallowed again, trying to remain strong as she told the story.

"But then, there was this mission that took place in a deep ravine... in the middle of a desert. Nothing seemed to be seen down there, and it acted as if it swallowed all light- or all _life_, for that matter- that dared enter the cursed ravine. Little did we know..."

* * *

"This place looks so _wonderful!_"

"You think _everything_ on Earth looks wonderful, you donk!"

"What does donk even _mean_?"

The Crystal Gems stood on a ledge, overlooking the extremely gigantic crack in the ground, observing what was around them. Garnet, clothed in red space-like attire and standing erect, glared down the ravine, a frown creased on her face. "No time to talk about strange human vocabulary, Gems, we have a mission on our hands."

"C'mon, _relax_, Garnet!" Amethyst jested, hopping towards their leader, "They're just words! No _biggie_! Guh, _stickler_!" The toying teammate found herself punched in the face and on the ground. Rose quickly approached with a surprised expression, lending a hand to help her up. Amethyst, however, ignored her attempt to help and got up herself. Not taking that as an offense, Rose quickly approached Garnet.

"You don't have to react with _violence_, Garnet!" the pink gem pleaded, motioning to Amethyst (who was rubbing her cheek, but otherwise was rather ticked). The scowl did not leave the red leaders face, and she was still looking down the ravine.

"There is no time to fool around," the red gem said gruffly, stiff and ready to punch another nearby object, "we have been assigned a mission. We get it done, we complete it, we return to the Temple, we receive another mission. The cycle repeats; it's that simple. If you don't want to _die_," she hissed, looking back at her team, "then you _don't_ mess around."

"Doesn't sound like it's "_that sim_"-" Hastily, Pearl covered Amethysts mouth with her hand. "N-no messing around, _Amethyst_!" she said, in complete and utter fear of her leader and what she could do.

"S-_so_!" Pearl stuttered with hesitation, daring to come close to Garnet. "What's the mission?"

Pushing up her shades, Garnet turned back to face the ravine. "There has been reports and mentions of earthquakes in the nearby area, leading to here. Monsters have been reported to be seen, and are believed to have been causing this."

"Oooh, _monsters_!" Amethyst and Rose squealed in unison, one looking for a beatdown while the other was looking for someone to help. Pearl only nervously chuckled at their outburst, while Garnet cleared her throat to silence them. Just like that, everyone was dead silent and was looking to their leader once more.

"Our mission; to find life, and rescue victims. And if possible," Garnet continued, "defeat the monster, and retrieve the gem if it is one." The gems nodded.

Walking close to the edge of the ravine, Rose Quarts knelt and leaned over, straining to see if she could spot anything. However, all she could see was inky darkness, not a speck of light. "It's pitch black down there!"

"_Doy_, genius!"

"How will we work together?" Rose continued, looking up to the leader. Garnet only looked down into the gorge as well.

"We won't be," was Garnets answer, perma-frown stuck on her face. "it will be able to track us and use our numbers against us, I've heard. You will just have to use your weapons and gems for light."

Pearl couldn't help but wonder why Garnet was so stern. Was she stressed out all the time, or regretting her choices? However so, the white gem still had one skill to contribute, in hopes of them working together.

"Uh-um, Garnet! I can gather light to, um-" She usually wasn't stuttering like this; but knowing Garnet more just scared her out of her wits. Gathering herself, she tried to finish her sentence. "-um, I can project holograms and light, just to remind you! _Huh-haha_..."

The leader nodded. "Good for you then." Feeling a dark feeling of dismission, Pearl laughed nervously, crumbling down a little bit in stature. "Y-yeah! _Good for me_! Good... good for me."

"Are you ready, Gems? Remember your mission," Garnet announced, ready to leap into the ravine. Getting close to the edge, everyone else readied themselves. "We go on the count of three, gems. One," she began.

Attempting to ready herself, Pearl couldn't help but feel a pit of uncertainty. _What was going to happen?_

"Two,"

For what seemed like days, Garnet waited, looking down the ravine. The feeling only intensified for Pearl. As Garnet opened her mouth to say the last number, an intense vibration of the ground roared, shaking the four. Quickly attempting to summon her spear, the sudden event that caught Pearl off guard did not allow her to do so, instead grabbing dim light. Groaning, she attempted to stay her ground. However, Rose was wobbling over, and was dangerously close to the edge- and Pearl knew that she was going to fall. Running towards her, she shouted in terror. "_Rose_!"

Close to her, Pearl was about to grab Rose Quartz' hand, until the ground cracked around her, and the ledge Rose was standing on slid into the ravine. "_Pearl_!" the gem screamed, disappearing into the black world. As the ground settled, the distraught white gem kneeled, reaching out to her.

"_R-Rose_..."

On the brink of tears, Pearl collapsed, weeping broken sobs. Amethysts eyes were wide in shaken fright, and Garnet herself was unsteady, having to pick up her glasses and put them back on. "Three," Garnet said, far too late, trembling somewhat.

Silence stood in the canyon, only filled with the fearful tears of the white gem. Although Amethyst was frozen in shock, staring out into nothing, Garnet approached Pearl.

"Listen, Pearl," she said, relaxing her frown into a shaken but otherwise stoic expression, "things like this happen sometimes. We don't know where Rose Quartz is," Garnet tried to comfort, though herself shaken, "but she can handle herself. We must- we must continue the mission."

The warrior looking to her leader in a teary wreck, she sniffed and tried to wipe her tears away. Garnet stood up, looking down into the ravine. "Though, with a new initiative;" she continued, forcing her voice to be steady.

"find_ Rose Quartz_."


End file.
